Fractional condenser.



Patented Mar. 25, I902.

No. 696,206. v

v. .SLAVICEK.

FRACTIONAL CONDENSER.

(Application filed Sept. 1, 1900.)

Mm/ I K37 UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

VICTOR SLAVIGEK, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

FRACTIONAL CONDENSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,206, dated March25, 1902. Application filed September 1, 1900. Serial No. 28,841. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I,VIc'roR SLAVIEK, a sub ject of the Emperor ofAustria-Hungary, re siding at Vienna, in the Empire of Austria- Hungary,have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for FractionalCondensation of the Constituents of a Vapor Mixture, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The subject of the present invention is an apparatus for the fractionalcondensation of the constituents of a vapor mixture, more particularlyof alcoholic vapor, for the purpose of obtaining a pure distillatewithout any expensive rectification being required.

In my new apparatus a number of condensers are employed for the purposeof separating the distillates. The vapors pass from one condenser to theother in order, as many condensers being used as may appear desir able,whereby the various portions of the vapors are condensed and separatedone after the other, according to the temperatures of condensation ofthe various volatile substances. The vapors are condensed or cooled downby the cooling liquid- -e. g., water-flowing regularly through all thecondensers from below upward, or, vice versa, in a contrary direction tothe vapors, the amount depending upon the quantity and temperature ofthe vapors. As the vapors of the difierent substances successivelycondense they are severally received by conducting-bottoms and led offto separate receptacles. Of course the vapor condensing at the lowestdegree of heat will be deposited first and the others in regular order,according to the amount of heat which must be abstracted for theircondensaiJiOIlz The details of the construction of the apparatus dependupon whether the constituents of the vapor mixture are such as can beseparated readily or only with difficulty.

The invention is illustrated by the annexed drawings.

Figure l is a vertical section of a simple apparatus in which the vaporsfiow from above downward, the cooling liquid rising from below upward.Fig. 2 is a vertical section of an apparatus in which the vapors flowfrom below upward and the cooling liquid from above downward, theconstruction being somewhat modified. Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on.ture.

the line I I of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views to be hereinafterreferred to;

The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 illustrates the type of the invention andserves for the fractional condensation of the constituents of a vapormixture which are readily separable. The apparatus consists of thecondensers 1 2 3, provided with inlet a and outlet q. The vapor composedof Various different constituents enters the apparatus through the pipea, passing first into the space I) and then through the pipes cdownward. By reason of the decrease in temperature on the passagedownward the most readily condensable vapors will be so far cooled thatthey will be condensed above, the products running from the upper bottomj of the condenser through the central pipe 0 to the cover 2', whichprevents mixing of the products of condensation, and thence onto thebuckled or arched collectingbottom it. Those vapors which only condensewith difficulty naturally are not thus condoused above. The products ofcondensation separated in the pipes 0 drop onto the collect ing-bottom hand are led ofi through the pipe d. The cooling liquid (e. 9., water)entering through the lowermost inlet 6 flows along the bent pipe 4,arranged to suit the wall of the condenser 3 and perforated below andlater-' erally in order to maintain uniform tempera- Above thewater-inlet pipes 4 5 6 wa tor-distributing bottoms 00, Fig. 3, areprovided. These bottoms are furnished with apertures, through which thepipesc are con ducted, enough space, however, being left (as the drawingshows) for the cooling liquidto pass through. The latter gradually risesin temperature to the boiling point of that constituent of the vaporwhich is most difficult to condense and then ascends at m, leaving thecondenser 3 and entering the condenser 2 through the bend f and pipe 5.Here it becomes heated to boiling-point of the constituents of the vaporwhich condense with moderate difficulty. It then rises at l, leaving thecondenser 2 and entering condenser 1 through bond 9 and pipe 6,andthereupon condenses those vapors which can be the most readilycondensed. Finally it flows off at 77. as boiling water. The vapormixture thus purified of the condensed vapors flows through the sieveis, between cover 73 and collecting bottom h, through the centralaperture of the chamber 1) into the pipe 0 of the condenser 2. Here thesame process is repeated, with the difference that here only thosevapors are condensed which can be condensed moderately easily, thetemperature of the water rising at 111 through f being unable tocondense those vapors which can only be condensed with much difiiculty.The product of condensation flows off at 0. The like process is againrepeated in condenser 3, where complete condensation and cooling of themost difficultly condensable vapors take place, the product collectingin the chamber 1) on the bottom 7 and flowing off through outlet q. Theproducts from d and 0 are cooled down to the necessary temperature inauxiliary coolers.

The apparatus shown in Fig.2 is constructed according to the sameprinciples, but differs somewhat in details. This apparatus isespecially intended for the condensation of a vapor mixture ofconstituents which are extremely diificult to separatee. g., alcoholicvapors. The casing is provided near its lower end with a series ofperforated horizontal partitions or bottoms E, Figs. 2 and 4, each ofwhich has on one side a downward flange or tip ,2, dipping into aliquid-receiving trough or groove D of the next lower one of saidpartitions or bottoms. Below these is arranged a partition or bottom B,having the last of the troughs or grooves D and also a central openingwith raised neck, above which is arranged a cap 0, supported thereon,leaving side openings for the ascent of vapor. These parts B, O, and Eare fixed in said casing in any ordinary and convenient way. Above eachset of cooling-pipes G is another bottom or partition B and cap 0,corresponding in construction and use to those already dc-.

scribed,(indicated by the same letters.) The vapors enter at A andstrike against bottom B, heating it, and then passing between bottom Band cap 0, through the products of condensation there collected stronglymixed with second runnings. They then heat from below the lowestperforated bottom E,through the perforation F of which and the productsof condensation above they must pass. The vapors then rise through theholes F of the next bottom E, there losing much of the second runnings,reaching the condenser 1, through the cooling-pipes G of which theyascend, and are freed of the second runnings. Hereupon the vapors ascendbetween the second bottom B and cap C,where the last traces of thesecond runnings are removed, pass through the sieve H, between thecollectingbottom I and cover J, and ascend through the pipes G of thecondenser 2, whereby the alcoholic vapors are condensed. They then enterbetween the third bottom B and cap 0, on which bottom the alcoholicproducts of condensation collect which are to be obtained beforecomplete cooling of the vapors strongly mixed with first runnings,ascend through sieve I'I, between the collecting-bottom I and the coverJ, and are condensed in the pipes G of the condenser 3 as alcoholstrongly mixed with first runnings.

Naturally the form and member of the capbottoms, as also of the flatbottoms E, may be any suitable. The flat bottoms E, as Fig. 4 shows, areconstructed with a gutter and bent-over edge a, which dips into theliquid collecting in the gutter D below. The bottoms may be perforated,as shown in Fig. 2, or may be provided with overflow-pipes (see Fig. 5)when ordinary sieve-bottoms are employed. The distillates are drawn oifin the reverse direction, but in the same order, commencing from below,as in the apparatus shown in Fig. 1- that is to say, at L are drawn oifthe products of the second runnings,which can still be distilled, at Mthe crude alcohol, at N the fine spirit, at O the alcohol mixed withfirst rnnnings to a slight extent, and at P that mixed to a largerextent with such runnings. The cooling liquid runs at Q through the bentpipeW on to the water-distributing bottom 17, then by reason of itsspecific gravity downward, thus enabling a uniform temperature to bemaintained in 0. It then runs through R, S, and Y on to the seconddistributingbottom as. From B it falls by reason of its specificgravity, maintaining through the distribution the temperature of theboiling-point of aldehyde. It now runs through T and U on to m, sinkinguniformly and maintaining the same temperature of the boiling-point ofalcohol, finally flowing out at V. The remaining parts of the apparatusare the same as those shown in Fig. 1. One or more condensers may beused,according to the nature of the vapors. The height of suchcondensers, however, must be suited to the various degrees of heat ofthe cooling liquid and the necessary boiling-points of the vapors to becondensed, and the vapors must be cooled down as may be requiredaccording to the conditions of the case.

What I claim is- 1. An apparatus for fractional condensation of theconstituents of a vapor mixture, consisting of communicating condenserscomprising end chambers, a vaporinlet at one end of the apparatus, acooling-liquid inlet at the opposite end, sets of vapor-conduit pipespassing through each condenser, pipes for conducting the cooling liquidfrom one condenser to the other, perforated bottoms or partitions E forreceiving the liquid entering from said pipes, an outlet for saidcooling liquid, chambers between each two consecutive condensers formedby concave and convex Walls, parts having perforated sides located onthe upper Walls, and outlets for conduct ing the products ofcondensation from said upper walls, all substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for fractional condensation of the constituents of aVapor mixture, consisting of communicating condensers comprising endchambers, a vapor -inlet at the bottom of the apparatus, acooling-liquid in-- IIO let at the top, fiat bottoms E having passagesthrough them, located near the bottom of the lowermost condenser sets ofvaporconduit pipes passing through each condenser, pipes forconducting-the cooling liquid from one condenser to the other, perfo-'rated bottoms or-partitions E for receiving r the liquid entering fromsaid pipes, an outlet for said cooling liquid, chambers between each twoconsecutive condensers formed by concave and convex walls andintermediate plates having a central, capped aperture, conduits' fromsaid plates, parts having perforated sides located at the center of said.upper walls and outlets for conducting theproducts of condensation fromsaid upper walls, all substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my .hand in presence of twoWitnesses.

VICTOR SLAVICEK.

Witnesses:

HANS SANNENHEIM, ALVESTO S. HOGUE.

